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The M27PG135F starts out in its User mode which needs a bit of work to achieve its full potential. Luckily, gamma is spot-on out of the gate, so all that’s needed is a grayscale calibration.
Grayscale and Gamma Tracking
Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.
The M27PG135F’s cool tone is apparent from 30% brightness and higher. This makes the image less lively and negates some of the high color saturation. The off-target white point affects all colors negatively, which you’ll see in the gamut tests below.
Calibration fixes these issues and results in visually perfect grayscale tracking. Gamma is unchanged, which is a good thing. Though it is slightly below the 2.2 reference line, its range of values is super tight, preserving detail in all parts of the image. This is excellent performance.
Comparisons
6.35dE is not a great start for the M27PG135F, though it is not the worst of the bunch. The top three screens don’t require calibration, so it is certainly possible to have high out-of-box accuracy at this price point. Once adjustments are made, the M27PG135F is right in the mix with the others. Visually, there is no difference between any of them.
Gamma tracking is excellent, with a tiny 0.02 range of values. That’s one of the best results I’ve recorded in this test. The average of 2.15 is 2.27% off the reference, so the M27PG135F is just the tiniest bit light. It’s possible to pick a darker gamma if that is your preference. It will track just as straight as the default setting.
Color Gamut Accuracy
Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.
The M27PG135F’s two gamut charts clearly show the effect of a grayscale calibration. Before adjustment, all the colors are off target with both saturation and hue errors. In practice, the picture is two-dimensional, with no visible warmth or variation in tone. Calibration fixes all of this neatly and takes the M27PG135F to near-reference level.
Comparisons
It’s a bummer that the M27PG135F must be calibrated to meet its full potential, but it’s well worth the effort. It goes from a mediocre image to a stellar one. 1.31dE is about as good as it gets in this test.
With nearly 98% coverage of DCI-P3, it also excels in color volume. To put it simply, the M27PG135F is very colorful. It comfortably beats the other screens. Granted, the difference between it and the second-place AOC is small, but when compared to the entire category, there are few monitors with this much color. The only thing missing is an sRGB mode. You won’t use an M27PG135F for color grading unless it’s in the DCI-P3 format. For gaming, this is no problem.
Test Takeaway: The M27PG135F delivers a ton of color volume and superb accuracy once calibrated. It’s a bummer that adjustment is required, but given the other positives, this is a small price to pay. The picture quality is premium in nearly every way.
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Prev Page Brightness and Contrast Next Page HDR PerformanceChristian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.
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